Moveable track connection

ABSTRACT

A moveable track connection between the ends of travel paths for wrap-around track-guided vehicles, especially magnetic levitation railway vehicles is provided. The moveable track connection has a set of S-shaped deformable bending points ( 1 ) for changing track. A bearing ( 4, 6 ) along half the length of deformable bending points has a vertical axis of rotation, which cannot move in the longitudinal direction of the bending points ( 1 ).

[0001] The invention relates to a moveable track connection pursuant topatent claim 1.

[0002] Such track connections serve both for changing the travel path ofa vehicle to the neighbouring track route and as track connectionbetween the two ends of one and the same travel path.

[0003] Described in DE 44 16 819 C2 is a track connection, wherein abending girder is elastically bendable from each end of travel path inthe direction of the end of the neighbouring travel path, with it beingpossible to align the bendable ends of said track connection flush toeach other in order to form the track connection and whose girders whichborder the elastically bendable end of the bending girder can beelastically bent away from the neighbouring travel path to the outside.To allow for a change of track on a neighbouring travel path, it isnecessary to bend both the two outer travel path ends outwardly and tobend the two travel path ends inwardly. A multitude of bendingfacilities is required to this effect which have to execute differentlygreat movements at different spots.

[0004] Known from DE 196 31 324 C1 is a transition connection betweentravel paths for wrap-around track-guided vehicles, wherein bendingpoints with several homologous moveable travel path elements do existwhich run in parallel to each other and which are mechanically hinged byseveral connecting elements or logically, functionally connected to eachother. In this transition connection, too, at least four travel pathends are designed and operated as bending points.

[0005] Moreover described in DE 198 00 908 C1 and DE 198 00 909 C1 arechange of track facilities for travel paths of a magnetic levitationrailway, wherein for the build-up of the change of track facility theends of the involved travel paths are executed as bending girders andwherein the support of connection girders is effected in adeformation-free manner. To this effect, pivot bearings are providedbetween the normal travel path and the transition elements which can bearrested for bending.

[0006] According to these embodiments belonging to the state of the artin technology, the ends of two bending points each are connected to eachother, with the connection of the two oppositely loaded bending pointsbeing problematic and with it being required to bridge a relativelylarge expansion gap. Special flap bridges are used for bridging thisexpansion gap.

[0007] Now it is the object of this invention to propose a moveabletrack connection that overcomes the a.m. problems and especially avoidsunsteadiness at transition spots.

[0008] The solution to this task is indicated in patent claim 1.Sub-claims 2 to 6 describe purposive forms of embodiments to thiseffect.

[0009] According to the invention, the use of only one S-shapeddeformable bending points including change of curve is proposed forchanging track, said bending points being comprised of a bearing with avertical pivot axis at half its length, said bearing being non-moveablein the longitudinal direction of the bending points. The specialadvantage of the proposal being the object of this invention is that itis not necessary to lock two ends of the bending points (moveablebearing) against each other as required according to the state of theart in technology, but that only one end of a bending points is lockedagainst the fixed end (fixed bearing) of the travel path. By allocatingthe moveable bearings to the two ends of the bending points, theexpansion gap is substantially reduced so that the flap bridges forbridging the expansion gap can be of a much simpler and smallerconfiguration or can even be dispensed with entirely. Moreover,unsteadiness in the bending curve at the transition due to temperatureand vehicle impacts is largely avoided and/or substantially reduced ascompared with hitherto existing solutions. By the use of only onebending points it is moreover achieved that one fixed bearing can bedeleted as compared with hitherto existing configurations.

[0010] The present invention is explained in greater details, forexample by way of the attached FIGS. 1 to 4, where

[0011]FIG. 1 shows a change of track with a diamond crossing in

[0012] a) the first change of track function

[0013] b) the second change of track function

[0014]FIG. 2 shows a track connection and change of track with ashunting points in

[0015] a) the first track connection function

[0016] b) the second track connection function

[0017] c) the intermediate position for the functional change of thetrack connection function in track change function and vice-versa

[0018] d) the first track change function

[0019] e) the second track change function

[0020]FIG. 3 shows the transition point with shunting points and slidinggirder in

[0021] a) a double track connection function

[0022] b) intermediate position for functional change

[0023] c) the first track change function

[0024] d) the second track change function

[0025]FIG. 4 shows a shunting connection with shunting points in

[0026] a) a track connection function for a middle travel track of threeparallel ones

[0027] b) intermediate position for functional change

[0028] c) the first track change function from the intermediate positionb)

[0029] d) the second track change function from the intermediateposition b).

[0030] In these figures, the bending points 1 is represented on the onehand as a straight track connection and on the other hand as an S-shapedconnection with different curve direction. The bending points 1 isconnected each via an abutment 2 to the ends of the travel paths 3. InFIG. 1, the bending points 1 at half its length has a fixed bearing 4that lies on the centreline between the two travel paths 3 which arearranged in parallel to each other. The fixed points 7 to 10 accordingto FIG. 1a) serve to generate the S-shaped bending curve. This functionis fulfilled by fixed points 7′ to 10′ for the opposite curvature as perFIG. 1b).

[0031] In FIGS. 2 to 4, instead of the fixed bearing 4 as per FIG. 1, aso-called bivalent bearing 6 is provided in which the bending points 1can be slid transversely to the longitudinal direction of the travelpath. For the track connection as per FIGS. 2a), 2 b), 3 a), and 4 a) aswell as to produce the S-shaped bending points as per FIGS. 2d), 2 e), 3c) 3 d), 4 c), and 4 d), this bivalent bearing 6 is of course arrestedaccordingly.

[0032] Shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 each are principle representations for thedouble track travel path and FIG. 4 shows principle representations byexample of three parallel travel tracks, the number of which can beextended at will. FIG. 3 additionally shows a sliding girder 5, whichaccording to FIG. 3a) possesses a track connection function and which isshifted in parallel outwardly as per FIGS. 3b) to 3 d) in order tocreate space for the transversely slidable bending points 1 that has tobe brought into the center position. List of Reference Numbers 1 Bendingpoints 2 Abutment 3 Travel path 4 Fixed bearing 5 Sliding girder 6Bivalent bearing 7-10 Fixed points to generate the S-shaped bendingcurve of 1 with change of curvature 7′-10′ Fixed points to generate theS-shaped bending curve of 1 with change of curvature

1. Moveable track connection between the ends of travel paths forwrap-around track-guided vehicles, especially magnetic levitationrailway vehicles, comprising an S-shaped deformable bending points (1)for changing track, which has a bearing (4, 6) along half the lengththereof with a vertical axis of rotation, which cannot move in thelongitudinal direction of the bending points (1).
 2. Moveable trackconnection pursuant to claim 1, characterized in that said bendingpoints (1) serves both as a straight track connection and as an S-shapedbent track change facility (cf. FIGS. 2 to 4).
 3. Moveable trackconnection pursuant to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said bendingpoints (1) can be bent in S-shape to serve as diamond crossing in bothdirections (cf. FIG. 1).
 4. Moveable track connection pursuant to claim1, 2 or 3, characterized in that said bearing with the vertical axis ofrotation is configured as a fixed bearing (4) and thus configured to berotationally moveable only around the vertical axis of rotation (cf.FIG. 1).
 5. Moveable track connection pursuant to claim 1, 2 or 3,characterized in that said bearing can be slid as bivalent bearing (6)transversely to the longitudinal direction of the travel paths (3) andbe locked in the track connection and change function (cf. FIGS. 2 to4).
 6. Moveable track connection pursuant to claim 5, characterized inthat apart from said bending points (1) there is at least oneneighbouring straight sliding girder (5) which like said bending points(1) can be slid transversely to the longitudinal direction of the travelpath (3) (cf. FIG. 3).